- Rob Diament
Infobox musical artist 2
Name = Robert Diament
Background = solo_singer
Born = Birth date and age|1980|10|26|mf=y
Origin =Berkshire ,England
Genre = Electronica/Alternative/Pop
Years Active = 1999–present
Label = Paper & Glue
URL = [http://www.temposhark.com Temposhark.com]Robert Diament (born 1980 in
Reading, Berkshire ,England ) is an Englishsinger-songwriter best known as the lead singer of UK electronic rock bandTemposhark . Diament also runs his own UK record labelPaper and Glue .Early life
Diament grew up in
Berkshire [http://www.bbc.co.uk/berkshire/content/articles/2004/12/10/temposhark_interview_feature.shtml Information taken from BBC Online Berkshire section] and began to play classicalpiano (his first instrument) at the age of four. Diament's classical training continued inpiano andviolin , whilst at the same time he learnt to sing in a local church choir. [http://www.strangefascination.co.uk/interviews_page.php?interview_index=3 Information sourced from StrangeFascination.co.uk interview with Diament]Songwriting soon followed but Diament only began to record his music at the age of thirteen. At his secondary school in Reading, Diament metLuke Busby for the first time, his later collaborator inTemposhark , but interestingly the two never collaborated until leaving school many years later [http://www.getreading.co.uk/entertainment/livemusic/10/10907/feeding_frenzy_for_temposhark Information taken from Reading Evening Post interview with Temposhark 2004] . Diament and Busby also studied alongside Hollywood actressNatalie Dormer [As reported in the Windsor Express newspaper on Friday 21st March 2008] . However, Diament sang in a number of rock bands and became a regular concertgoer in the town, best known for the annual rock festivalReading Festival . In his later teens, Diament's live performances inLondon and Reading had attracted much interest from both high profile musicians and music industry professionals alike, which led to the recording of his debut EP [http://www.robdiament.com Information taken from Diament's official website] .Early musical career
Diament first arrived on the music scene in 1999 with his debut piano-oriented solo EP 'Seven Years Running' produced by Anthony Amos [http://www.robdiament.com Information taken from Diament's official website] . Following this release, he further developed his sound on tour in North America and returned to London in 2000 to record a selection of new songs with producer Stuart Epps (Elton John/Robbie Williams) before spending the following two years writing and recording with
Killing Joke member and award winning producer, Youth akaMartin Glover [http://www.robdiament.com/downloads/ Information taken from Diament's official website] . In 2000, British pop culture magazine "The Face" highlighted Diament as an artist to watch and "songwriter of genius". [ [http://www.robdiament.com/words/index.htm Rob Diament - words >>> ] ] Around this time, Diament began to spend time inBrighton collaborating on a number of art, music and performance projects with old Reading school friendLuke Busby and Busby's fellow art studentNatasha Kahn , now known for her projectBat for Lashes [http://www.arjanwrites.com/arjanwrites/2007/12/free-download-3.html As mentioned in Robert Diament's guest blog on USA pop music blog ArjanWrites.com December 29th 2007] . This led Diament and Busby to study music in London atUniversity of Westminster whereTemposhark was formed in 2004. Diament and Busby both graduated in 2005 with First Class Honours. Other key bands/artists that studied alongside them wereThe Departure ,Pure Reason Revolution ,Kevin Mark Trail (The Streets ) andEmmy The Great .Temposhark
In 2004, Diament emerged as lead singer/principal songwriter with
Temposhark , the critically acclaimed UK electronic rock band. Diament formed the band developing a distinctive blend of epic filmscore and late 70s/early 80s synth pop. His first nationwide released UK single "It's Better To Have Loved" came out on December 12th 2005 produced by acclaimed producerGuy Sigsworth (Madonna/Bjork/Frou Frou) on Diament's own record labelPaper and Glue .Temposhark finished recording their debut album "The Invisible Line " during February 2007 in London with producerSean McGhee as well as recording a new song withGuy Sigsworth [ [http://www.temposhark.com Temposhark-Home ] ] . The album will be released worldwide in early March 2008.Temposhark were inNew York on a UK music industry trade mission in June 2006 and started performing live inEurope including a sold out headline gig inParis the following July [ [http://www.temposhark.com/site/events/ Temposhark-Events ] ] . In November 2006, Temposhark began performing with their live band, Mathis Richet on drums and Mark Ferguson on bass. The four live musicians travelled to the USA to Austin, Texas in March 2007 for two live showcases at theSXSW festival. Temposhark head out on their first USA clubs and theatre tour in June 2007 performing alongside Diament's friend, the popstarDarren Hayes [ [http://www.myspace.com/darrenhayes MySpace.com - Darren Hayes - London, UK - Electronique / Pop / Indie - www.myspace.com/darrenhayes ] ]As part of Temposhark, Diament has written songs and sung with a diverse array of musicians from Frou Frou's
Guy Sigsworth andImogen Heap ,Kate Havnevik ,Sophie Solomon ,Sean McGhee ,Cursor Miner ,Avril (FCommunications ),Metronomy ,Mark Moore (S'Express ), M.I.A., Camille,Hellogoodbye ,Matthew Jay ,Akira The Don , Noblesse Oblige,Princess Julia ,Richard Norris (The Grid ),Melnyk , Kevin Freeman,Border Crossing and Masashi Naka (Escalator Records,Japan ) [ [http://www.temposhark.com/site/releases/ Temposhark - Releases ] ] .In 2005, Diament said that his band name
Temposhark was thought up when he "woke up in the midst of a dream one night, at like 4am, and just said the word Temposhark. So it came from my subconscious I guess. Honestly it was that simple. I wanted a name that sounded strong. I liked the idea that music could be a weapon. Something powerful." [ [http://www.temposhark.com/site/forums/viewforum.php?forumId=11&showthread=40 Temposhark-Forums ] ]Writer
As well as a songwriter, Diament has written for music magazines such as "Blowback" [http://www.temposhark.com/photos/30-08221240-10520.jpgRobert Diament of Temposhark interviewed Imogen Heap in Blowback Magazine, August 2005] in the UK and "BPM" [BPM Magazine's Hipster Issue, March 2008, Diament contributed to a panel on the new Hipster Movement http://www.temposhark.com/site/news/detail.php?articleId=546] and "Redefine" [In March 2008, Diament was guest commentator for the whole issue of Redefine music and arts magazine http://www.temposhark.com/site/news/detail.php?articleId=548] magazines in the USA. In December 2007 and January 2008, he wrote as guest blogger on the USA music blog "ArjanWrites.com" [ [http://www.arjanwrites.com/arjanwrites/2007/12/introducing-rob.html :: arjanwrites music blog ::: Introducing Rob Diament, Guest Blogger ] ] including the exclusive first review of
Alanis Morissette 's album "Flavors Of Entanglement" [ [http://www.arjanwrites.com/arjanwrites/2007/12/exclusive-alani.html :: arjanwrites music blog ::: Exclusive Review: Alanis Morissette's Bold New 'Flavors' ] ] . He is also credited as contributing interviews and research forLucy O'Brien 's music-focused biography "Madonna: Like An Icon" [ [http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0593055470 Amazon.co.uk: Madonna: Like an Icon: Books: Lucy O'Brien ] ] about Madonna published in 2007 byBantam Press [ [http://www.arjanwrites.com/arjanwrites/2008/01/music-im-lookin.html :: arjanwrites music blog ::: Music I'm looking forward to in 2008 ] ] .Art
Diament has mentioned in interviews that another passion for him, aside from music, is
modern art . He has a background of working for artists includingBanksy and other influential graffiti artists. [ [http://www.pluginmusic.com/news/archive.php?id=2511 PlugInMusic.com : News : Temposhark To Release "The Invisible Line" In North America ] ] He is an art collector [http://www.defendmusic.com/temposhark.php As mentioned in this write up on his band project Temposhark, second from last paragraph includes details of his art] and explained in a recent interview that unlike most art collectors, who are often wealthy individuals, he managed to start collecting art by selling his stuff onEbay including various graffiti prints and Madonna music memorabilia he had collected since childhood, and saving up any spare money for many months to eventually afford works by artists he loves.Diament has a keen interest [http://www.artreview.com/profile/robdiament] particularly in
women in art such asTracey Emin ,Anne Hardy ,Stella Vine ,Annie Kevans ,Jessica Rankin ,Gillian Wearing ,Louise Bourgeois ,Elke Krystufek , Phillipa Horan,Mickalene Thomas , Ruth Claxton, Tracey Rose, Luisa Lambri, Sarah Jones, Rachel Kneebone,Susan Collis ,Tatiana Echeverri Fernandez , Candice Breitz,Katherine Bernhardt , Mari Eastman,Julie Mehretu , Helene Appel, Marta Marcé,Frida Kahlo , Marnie Weber, Julie Verhoeven, Anj Smith,Cris Brodahl andPaula Rego . He has also expressed a love ofGrayson Perry , Simon Popper, Michael Fullerton, Graham Durward, Seb Patane, Harland Miller, Hurvin Anderson, Donald Urquhart,Matthew Barney ,Fred Tomaselli ,Francis Bacon , John Stezaker,Wolfgang Tillmans ,Damien Hirst ,Tim Noble and Sue Webster ,David Hockney , James Welling andGilbert and George 's art [ [http://www.arjanwrites.com/arjanwrites/2007/12/a-piece-of-brit.html Diament is quoted as being an art collector in his celebrity guest blog on ArjanWrites.com, December 30th 2007] ] .Discography
CD EPs
* "Sketches" (January 2000 promo 3 track EP ·
RDM )
* "Seven Years Running" ( July 1999 5 track EP produced by Anthony Amos ·RDM )Temposhark
*"
The Invisible Line " (2008 debut album)
*For the complete Temposhark Discography (click here)External links
* [http://www.myspace.com/robdiament Robert Diament's official MySpace page]
* [http://www.temposhark.com Temposhark's official band website]
* [http://www.myspace.com/temposhark Temposhark's official MySpace page]
* [http://blogs.s60.com/nokiamusicpodcast/ Robert Diament from Temposhark interviewed on Nokia's free Podcast, November 2006]References
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